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United States Patent |
5,661,797
|
Leman
,   et al.
|
August 26, 1997
|
Hinge mechanism for cellular transceiver housing
Abstract
A unique hinge construction is provided for pivotally connecting a cover to
a main body of a transceiver. The main body comprises a base and
upstanding sidewalls and an endwall. Movable between a closed position
generally overlying the main body and an operative angularly disposed
position, the cover includes a pair of spaced apart ears projecting from
an end thereof, the ears having opposed key slots formed therein being
aligned with opposed mounting bores in the sidewalls adjacent the endwall.
A pair of hinge shafts are rotatably received in an associated one of the
mounting bores in the sidewalls on the main body. Each hinge shaft
includes a key member engageable with an associated one of the key slots
in the opposed ears for rotation therewith and a central member having a
uniformly contoured outer surface defined by elevationally opposed convex
shaped lobes, laterally opposed concave shaped depressions, and smooth
transition zones joining the lobes and said depressions. A pair of spring
members, each having a convex shaped surface fixed to the main body are
biased into engagement with the uniformly contoured outer surface of its
associated shaft for maintaining the cover closed in one instance and in
at least one operative position relative to the main body in another
instance.
Inventors:
|
Leman; Ari (Euless, TX);
Humphreys; Morris (Saginaw, TX);
Park; Bong Choon (Chang-Wan, KR)
|
Assignee:
|
Nokia Mobile Phones Ltd. (Salo, FI)
|
Appl. No.:
|
551375 |
Filed:
|
November 1, 1995 |
Current U.S. Class: |
379/433.13; 379/434 |
Intern'l Class: |
H04M 001/00 |
Field of Search: |
379/433,428
16/2,342,335
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
4535925 | Aug., 1985 | Ramey et al. | 227/55.
|
4897873 | Jan., 1990 | Bentler et al. | 379/433.
|
5111503 | May., 1992 | Takagi | 379/433.
|
5185790 | Feb., 1993 | Mischneko | 379/433.
|
5257310 | Oct., 1993 | Takagi et al. | 379/433.
|
5274882 | Jan., 1994 | Persson | 16/303.
|
5335274 | Aug., 1994 | Masuda et al. | 379/433.
|
Primary Examiner: Zele; Krista M.
Assistant Examiner: McCarty; Taunya A.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Perman & Green, LLP
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. Hinge apparatus for pivotally connecting a main body and a cover
therefor enabling movement of the cover through a range of positions
angularly disposed relative to the main body comprising:
shaft means having a longitudinal axis journaled for rotation on the main
body at longitudinally spaced locations, said shaft means including key
means engageable with the cover for rotation therewith and a central
member having a uniformly contoured outer surface defined by elevationally
opposed convex shaped lobes, laterally opposed concave shaped depressions,
and smooth transition zones joining said lobes and said depressions; and
spring means fixed to the main body engageable with said uniformly
contoured outer surface of said shaft means, said spring means having a
convex shaped surface which substantially engages said concave shaped
depressions for maintaining the cover in an operative position relative to
the main body when said convex shaped surface is engaged with an
associated one of said concave shaped depressions.
2. A transceiver housing comprising:
a main body including a base, and sidewalls and an endwall upstanding from
said base and having opposed aligned mounting bores in said sidewalls
adjacent said endwall, each mounting bore extending from an outside end to
an inside end;
a cover pivotally mounted on said main body for movement between a closed
position generally coplanar with and overlying said main body and an
operative position angularly disposed relative to said main body, said
cover including a pair of spaced apart ears projecting from an end
thereof, said ears having opposed key slots formed therein being aligned
with the mounting bores in said sidewalls;
a pair of hinge shafts, each said hinge shaft having a longitudinal axis
rotatably received in an associated one of the mounting bores in said
sidewalls on said main body, each said hinge shaft including a key member
engageable with an associated one of the key slots in said opposed ears
for rotation therewith and a central member having a uniformly contoured
outer surface defined by elevationally opposed convex shaped lobes,
laterally opposed concave shaped depressions, and smooth transition zones
joining said lobes and said depressions; and
a pair of spring members fixed to said main body biased into engagement
with said uniformly contoured outer surface of said shaft means, each of
said spring members having a convex shaped surface which substantially
engages said concave shaped depressions for maintaining said cover in an
operative position relative to said main body when said convex shaped
surface is engaged with an associated one of said concave shaped
depressions.
3. A transceiver housing as set forth in claim 2
wherein said operative position occurs with said cover inclined about
135.degree. with respect to said main body, each said convex shaped
surface of said spring members being engaged with said depressions of an
associated one of said central members.
4. A transceiver housing as set forth in claim 2
wherein said main body has a pair of spaced apart integral ribs upstanding
from said base, each said rib being spaced from an associated one of said
sidewalls and having a bearing surface thereon;
wherein each of said hinge shafts includes a bearing plate intermediate
said key member and said central member, a plurality of resilient locking
fingers fixed to said bearing plate and extending from a plurality of
circumferentially spaced locations thereon and at similar radial distances
from said longitudinal axis in a direction away from said key member, each
of said locking fingers terminating at a transversely extending locking
tang, each said locking tang having a cam surface engageable with an
associated one of the mounting bores upon insertion of said hinge shaft
into an outside end of its associated mounting bore, such that said
locking tangs cause said locking fingers to be depressed toward said
longitudinal axis until they exit from an inside end of the mounting bore
whereupon said locking fingers snap radially outwardly and said locking
tangs prevent removal of said hinge shaft from said sidewall, each of said
hinge shafts including a stub shaft extending away from said central
member, said stub shaft being rotatably engageable with said rib bearing
surface;
said spring members positioned to bias said stub shaft into engagement with
said rib bearing surface.
5. A transceiver housing as set forth in claim 4
wherein said main body has a pair of spaced apart integral support posts
upstanding from said base, wherein said posts are intermediate said
sidewalls, each of said support posts having a bore therein;
wherein each of said spring members includes an elongated shank with a
transverse mounting flange at one end thereof having a fastener hole
therein, and a generally U-shaped resilient biasing portion interposed
between said endwall and said contoured outer surface of said central
member for holding said stub shaft firmly in engagement with said rib
bearing surface; and
including a fastener receivable through the fastener hole in an associated
one of said mounting flanges and threadedly engageable with the bore in
said associated support post for mounting each said spring member to said
main body.
6. A transceiver housing as set forth in claim 2
wherein said main body includes a lower case attached to said upstanding
sidewalls and endwall and generally parallel to and spaced from said base;
and
wherein said cover overlies and is generally contiguous to said main body
when in a closed position, each of said spring members being engaged with
one of said lobes of an associated one of said central members such that a
closing torque is applied to said hinge shafts, biasing said cover to the
closed position.
7. Hinge apparatus comprising:
a main body including a base, and sidewalls and an endwall upstanding from
said base and having opposed aligned mounting bores in said sidewalls
adjacent said endwall; and
a cover pivotally mounted on said main body for movement between a closed
position generally coplanar with and overlying said main body and through
a range of positions angularly disposed relative to said main body;
shaft means having a longitudinal axis journaled for rotation on the main
body at longitudinally spaced locations, said shaft means including key
means engageable with the cover for rotation therewith and a central
member having a uniformly contoured outer surface defined by elevationally
opposed convex shaped lobes, laterally opposed concave shaped depressions,
and smooth transition zones joining said lobes and said depressions; and
spring means fixed to the main body engageable with said uniformly
contoured outer surface of said shaft means, said spring means having a
convex shaped surface which substantially engages said concave shaped
depressions for maintaining the cover in an operative position relative to
the main body when said convex shaped surface is engaged with an
associated one of said concave shaped depressions.
8. Hinge apparatus as set forth in claim 7
wherein said cover includes a pair of spaced apart ears projecting from an
end thereof, said ears having opposed key slots formed therein being
aligned with the mounting bores in said sidewalls; and
wherein said shaft means includes a pair of hinge shafts, each said hinge
shaft having a longitudinal axis rotatably received in an associated one
of the mounting bores in said sidewalls on said main body, each said hinge
shaft including a key member engageable with an associated one of the key
slots in said opposed ears for rotation therewith.
9. Hinge apparatus as set forth in claim 7
wherein said main body includes a cover plate attached to said upstanding
sidewalls and endwall and is generally parallel and spaced from said base;
and
wherein said operative position occurs with said cover inclined about
135.degree. with respect to said main body, each said convex shaped
surface of said spring members being engaged with said depressions of an
associated one of said central members.
10. Hinge apparatus as set forth in claim 7
wherein said main body has a pair of integral ribs upstanding from said
base, each of said ribs being spaced from an associated one of said
sidewalls and having a bearing surface thereon;
wherein each of said hinge shafts includes a bearing plate intermediate
said key member and said central member, a plurality of resilient locking
fingers fixed to said bearing plate and extending from a plurality of
circumferentially spaced locations thereon and at similar radial distances
from said longitudinal axis in a direction away from said key member, each
of said locking fingers terminating at a transversely extending locking
tang, each said locking tang having a cam surface engageable with an
associated one of the mounting bores upon insertion of said hinge shaft
into an outside end of its associated mounting bore, such that said
locking tangs cause said locking fingers to be depressed toward said
longitudinal axis until they exit from an inside end of the mounting bore
whereupon said locking fingers snap radially outwardly and said locking
tangs prevent removal of said hinge shaft from said sidewall, each of said
hinge shafts including a stub shaft extending away from said central
member, said stub shaft being rotatably engageable with said rib bearing
surface;
each said spring being interposed between said end wall and said associated
central member to bias said associated stub shaft into engagement with
said associated rib bearing surface.
11. Hinge apparatus as set forth in claim 10
wherein said main body has a pair of spaced apart integral support posts
upstanding from said base, wherein said posts are intermediate said
sidewalls, each of said support posts having a bore therein;
wherein each of said spring members includes an elongated shank with a
transverse mounting flange at one end thereof having a fastener hole
therein, and a generally U-shaped resilient biasing portion interposed
between said endwall and said contoured outer surface of said central
member for holding said stub shaft firmly in engagement with said rib
bearing surface; and
including a fastener receivable through the fastener hole in an associated
one of said mounting flanges and threadedly engageable with the bore in
said associated support post for mounting each said spring member to said
main body.
12. Hinge apparatus as set forth in claim 7
wherein said main body includes a lower case attached to said upstanding
sidewalls and endwall and generally parallel and spaced from said base;
and
wherein said cover overlies and is generally contiguous to said main body
when in a closed position, each of said spring members being engaged with
one of said lobes of an associated one of said central members such that a
closing torque is applied to said hinge shafts, biasing said cover to the
closed position.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to hinged housings for miniaturized
electronic equipment and more particularly to portable cellular
transceivers which utilize hinged housings for folding elements.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An ultimate object of communication is, of course, to enable information to
be transmitted or exchanged at once anytime, from anywhere, and by
anybody. In addition to conventional intercommunication between fixed
points, mobile communication has been gradually developed. Mobile
communication means a communication between a mobile body such as ship,
automobile or airplane (including a human being) and a fixed point such as
home or office, and also means an intercommunication between two mobile
bodies. In recent years, a portable telephone or a cordless telephone as a
kind of means for carrying out the mobile communication has been
extensively developed.
In general, a telephone is used with a receiver section put to the ear and
a transmitter section kept near the mouth. So also in a portable
telephone, it is necessary to ensure a sufficient distance between the
receiver section and the transmitter section. In this circumstance, a
conventional portable telephone itself is relatively long and large in
size.
Telephones utilizing two housing elements, connected with some types of
hinging mechanism, are common in wireline telephone sets and have become
more common in landline wireless extension phones. This folding
arrangement allows for the telephone to be more compact when the two
housings are folded upon themselves.
Radiotelephones which utilize this type of design typically have most of
the electronics within the larger of the two housings. For good acoustical
performance, the cover must be held in an optimum position relative to the
body and the cover helps direct sound pressure towards the microphone
element.
Typical of known constructions are the disclosures in the following U.S.
patents all disclose cooperating spring and cam assemblies associated with
hinge constructions for a foldable telephone and associated door:
______________________________________
U.S. Pat. No. Inventor(s) Issued
______________________________________
5,257,310 Takagi et al.
10/26/93
5,185,790 Mischenko 02/09/93
4,897,873 Beutler et al.
01/30/90.
______________________________________
While each of the foregoing constructions represented advances in the state
of the art at the time that they were introduced, it was in an effort to
further improve upon those advancements that the present invention was
conceived and has now been reduced to practice.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, a unique hinge construction is provided
for pivotally connecting a cover to a main body of a transceiver. The main
body comprises a base and upstanding sidewalls and endwalls. Movable
between a closed position generally overlying the main body and an
operative angularly disposed position, the cover includes a pair of spaced
apart ears projecting from an end thereof, said ears having opposed key
slots formed therein being aligned with opposed mounting bores in the
sidewalls adjacent one of the endwalls. A pair of hinge shafts are
rotatably received in an associated one of the mounting bores in the
sidewalls on the main body. Each hinge shaft includes a key member
engageable with an associated one of the key slots in the opposed ears for
rotation therewith and a central member having a uniformly contoured outer
surface defined by elevationally opposed convex shaped lobes, laterally
opposed concave shaped depressions, and smooth transition zones joining
the lobes and said depressions. A pair of spring members, each having a
convex shaped surface fixed to the main body are biased into engagement
with the uniformly contoured outer surface of its associated shaft means
for maintaining the cover closed in one instance and in at least one
operative position relative to the main body in another instance.
More specifically, the portable transceiver of the invention typically
comprises a main body including a speaker, a microphone, and a keypad; a
cover rotatably mounted to the main body, the cover covering at least the
keypad section when the cover is in a closed condition; and a cover
holding mechanism for rotatably holding the cover with respect to the main
body, the cover holding mechanism including a biasing mechanism for
exerting a biasing force to the cover so as to maintain the cover closed
in one instance and, in another instance, at a stable position in a
rotational direction when the cover is in an opened condition.
In using the transceiver of the invention, when the cover is opened, it is
held in a stable position where the cover is inclined at a predetermined
angle (e.g. 135.degree.) with respect to the main body by the cover
holding mechanism. In this stable position, the cover also functions as a
voice reflecting and collecting board.
It is therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a moveable
joint for connecting the cover to the main body of a transceiver.
It is a further object of the present invention to produce a more defined
feeling for the user when the cover is opened or closed.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide a hinge mechanism
for the cover of a transceiver which can be easily operated in a
substantially fail-safe manner.
It is still another object of the invention to provide such a hinge
mechanism which is of simplified design, uses readily available materials,
and can be inexpensively manufactured and maintained.
Accordingly, these and other objects are realized in the present invention
which encompasses a portable transceiver having a main housing and an
attached movable cover utilizing a minimum of parts as described herein.
Other and further features, advantages, and benefits of the invention will
become apparent in the following description taken in conjunction with the
following drawings. It is to be understood that the foregoing general
description and the following detailed description are exemplary and
explanatory but are not to be restrictive of the invention. The
accompanying drawings which are incorporated in and constitute a part of
this invention, illustrate one of the embodiments of the invention, and,
together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the
invention in general terms. Like numerals refer to like parts throughout
the disclosure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a portable transceiver according to a preferred
embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a perspective exploded view illustrating specific components of
the transceiver of FIGS. 1 and 2 which embody the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a detail perspective view of assembled components illustrated in
FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a cross section view taken along line 5--5 in FIG. 4;
FIG. 6A is cross section view taken along line 6A--6A in FIG. 6 to
illustrate one relative position of movable components; and
FIGS. 6B and 6C are cross section views, similar to FIG. 6A illustrating
other successive relative positions of the movable components.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
There will first be described a schematic arrangement of a portable
transceiver 20 which embodies the present invention with reference to
FIGS. 1 and 2. In both FIGS. 1 and 2, an opened condition of a cover 22 of
the portable transceiver is depicted. A main body 24 of the portable
transceiver is comprised of an upper case 26 and a lower case 28. A
receiver section 30 accommodating a speaker therein is provided at an
upper end portion of the main body 24. A display section 32 such as a
liquid crystal display and a keypad section 34 having a dialing function
or the like are provided at a middle portion of the main body 24. A
transmitter section 36 accommodating a microphone therein may be provided
at a lower end portion of the main body 24. The reason for providing the
transmitter section 36 at the lower end portion of the main body 24 is
that the distance between the receiver section 30 and the transmitter
section 36 is intended to be made as large as possible notwithstanding the
fact that the main body 24 is so compact.
Reference numeral 38 denotes an antenna extendably provided at a side
portion of the main body 24. The cover 22 is rotatably mounted in the
vicinity of the lower end portion of the main body 24. The cover 22
functions to cover at least some of the keypad section 34 when it is in a
closed condition, while functioning as a voice reflecting and collection
board for the transmitter section 36 when it is in an opened condition.
While the cover 22 is rotatably mounted to the main body 24 as mentioned
above, it is stably held, in one instance, in a closed position overlying
the keypad section 34 indicated by a dash-dot line in FIG. 2 and, in
another instance, in an operative position inclined at a predetermined
angle with respect to the main body 24 by means of a cover holding
mechanism which will be hereinafter described.
Turn now to FIGS. 3-5 for the description of a hinge mechanism 40 for
pivotally mounting the cover 22 on the main body 24. The hinge mechanism
serves to keep the keypad cover in either the opened or closed position.
In a manner to be described, the hinge mechanism also serves to return the
cover to a stable (opened) position if the cover is moved beyond that
position. The opened position is about 135.degree. from the stable closed
position.
The main body 24 includes a base 42, and sidewalls 44 and an endwall 46
upstanding from the base. Opposed aligned mounting bores 48 are formed in
the sidewalls 44 adjacent the endwall 46 and each mounting bore is a
throughbore.
As noted earlier, the cover 22 is pivotally mounted on the main body 24 for
movement between a closed position generally coplanar with and overlying
the keypad section 34 and an operative position angularly disposed
relative to the main body. The cover includes a pair of spaced apart ears
50 projecting from an end 52 of the cover 22. The ears have opposed key
slots 54 formed therein so as to be aligned with the mounting bores 48 in
the sidewalls when the cover is attached to the main body. The sidewalls
44 may be recessed as indicated at 55, in order to properly mate with the
ears 50 while maintaining the overall rectangular outline for the
transceiver 20.
A pair of hinge shafts 56 are rotatably received, each in an associated one
of the mounting bores 48 in the sidewalls 44 on the main body. Each hinge
shaft includes, at one end, a key member 58 engageable with an associated
one of the key slots 54 in the opposed ears 50 for rotation therewith and
a central member 60 having a uniformly contoured outer surface defined by
elevationally opposed convex shaped lobes 62, laterally opposed concave
shaped depressions 64, and smooth transition zones 66 joining the lobes
and the depressions.
Each of the hinge shafts 56 further includes a bearing plate 68
intermediate the key member 58 and the central member 60. Additionally, a
plurality of resilient locking fingers 70 are fixed to the bearing plate
68 and extend from a plurality of circumferentially spaced locations
thereon and at similar radial distances from a longitudinal axis of the
hinge shaft 56 in a direction away from the key member. Each of the
locking fingers 70 terminates at a transversely extending locking tang 72.
Each locking tang has a cam surface 73 (FIG. 5) which is engageable with
an associated one of the mounting bores 48 upon insertion of the hinge
shaft into an outside end of its associated mounting bore, such that said
locking tangs cause said locking fingers to be depressed toward the
longitudinal axis of the hinge shaft 56 until they exit from an inside end
of the mounting bore. Upon exiting from the mounting bore 48, the locking
fingers 70 snap radially outwardly and the locking tangs 72 prevent
removal of the hinge shaft from the sidewall 44. Each of the hinge shafts
56 also includes a stub shaft 74 which extends away from the central
member 60. The stub shaft 74 is rotatably engageable with a rib bearing
surface 76 which will now be described.
A pair of spaced apart integral ribs 78 are upstanding from the base 42,
each rib being spaced from an associated one of the sidewalls 44. Each rib
also has the bearing surface 76 formed thereon on which the stub shaft 74
is rotatably engaged.
Also viewing FIG. 3, a pair of spaced apart integral support posts 80
upstand from the base 42 intermediate the sidewalls 44 and each of the
support posts has a vertically oriented bore 82 therein. A pair of spring
members 84 are interposed between the end wall 46 and the central member
60 of each of the hinge shafts 56, in each instance to bias the stub shaft
74 into engagement with the rib bearing surface 76. Each of the spring
members 84 includes an elongated shank 86 with a transverse mounting
flange 88 at one end thereof having a fastener hole 90 therein and a
generally U-shaped resilient biasing portion 92. A fastener 94 which may
be a self-threading screw is receivable through the fastener hole 90 in an
associated one of the mounting flanges 88 and becomes threadedly
engageable with the bore 82 in the associated support post 80 for mounting
each spring member 84 to the main body 24. One of the spring members 84 is
interposed between the endwall 46 and the contoured outer surface of the
central member 60 for holding the stub shaft 74 firmly in engagement with
the rib bearing surface 76. The other of the spring members 84 is reversed
as is its associated rib 78. In this reversed construction, the biasing
portion 92 of the spring member 84 bears against the central member 60 of
its associated hinge shaft 56 in the direction of the endwall 46.
The biasing portion 92 of each of the spring members 84 has a convex shaped
outer surface which is biased into engagement with the uniformly contoured
outer surface of the central member 60 of the hinge shaft 56 for
maintaining the cover 22 either in the closed position or in at least one
operative position relative to the main body 24.
To complete the description of the construction of the main body 24,
viewing FIG. 3 again, it is seen that the lower case 28 is suitably
attached to the upstanding sidewalls 44 and endwall 46 in a manner not
shown so as to be generally parallel to and spaced from said base. Being
so positioned, the cover plate thereby encapsulates the hinge mechanism 40
within the main body 24 to keep it protected and isolated from the
elements.
As noted, each of the hinge shafts include a central member 60 which is
engaged by the biasing portion 92 of an associated one of the spring
members 84. It can be said that the central member 60 is a "peanut" shaped
section against which the spring member 84 bears or presses. This spring
member associated with each hinge shaft 56 serves to rotate the shaft
about its longitudinal axis to either a closed position or to a stable
opened position. The closed position is illustrated in FIG. 6C wherein the
spring member 84 bears against the transition zone 66 of the central
member 60 of the hinge shaft 56 and causes a biasing moment in a
counterclockwise direction to hold the cover 22 firmly against the main
body 24. As the cover 22 is opened, it passes through a "metastable"
position illustrated in FIG. 6B whereat the spring member 84 bears against
the lobe 62. With continued rotation of the cover 22, it reaches the
operative position illustrated in FIG. 6A which occurs with the cover
inclined about 135.degree. with respect to the plane of the main body.
With the cover 22 so inclined, each of the spring members 84 is engaged
with the depressions 64 of an associated one of the central members 60.
The cross sectional shape of the face of the spring member bearing on the
hinge shaft is suitably curved to conform to the "peanut" cross section of
the hinge shaft.
This arrangement of the curved spring members and "peanut" shaped hinge
shaft will provide a more defined feeling to the user when the cover 22 is
opened or closed. The forces to close the cover will be greater for a
given spring force due to the "peanut" shape. In this manner, a greater
opening and closing torque is provided while using a weaker spring.
While preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail,
it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various other
modifications may be made to the illustrated embodiments without departing
from the scope of the invention as described in the specification and
defined in the appended claims.
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